Divine Convenience Store-Chapter 567: Armor Bearer Subjects

"On the contrary, Elder. It seems Young Master Xue Yuan is adapting. The arcade trains reaction speed, resource management, and strategic thinking under pressure. It can be translated into a real application. Besides, he is contributing to the store's revenue. A model patron. If you're still here tomorrow, I will see to it to reserve a few units of the Celestial Duel Gear Starter Bundle for your sect. It won't be more than five, though, as its production is still limited." Lin Mo said, which immediately made the Storm Elder's eyes wide with awe.

"You're too generous, Shopkeeper. To reserve such coveted treasures for our pavilion… I am ashamed of my earlier doubts." Elder Shen Liang bowed deeply with his hands clasped together in a salute that bordered on reverence.

"Think nothing of it, dear customer. Consider it a seed investment," Lin Mo replied with his professional smile. "However, Elder Shen, you must remember that the gear is merely the hardware. To truly integrate the Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion into the new era, you need the software. The connection."

He gestured towards the display of [Viewing Jades] at the counter where Pan Ruo was once again dealing with a line of patrons checking out with shopping baskets full of store products.

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"Your Pavilion Master is skeptical because he cannot see the flow of the world. He sits in his high tower overlooking the sea, isolated. Bring him a Viewing Jade. Let him see the Bulletin Board, the Leaderboard and the volume of commerce happening in the Harvester's Guild. Let him watch the replays of the Divine Lecture that has recently been held. Information is the cure for skepticism."

Elder Shen Liang looked at the jade tablets as his expression shifted from gratitude to realization. "You are right. I have been trying to describe the sun to a blind man. I must show him the light. I will take… fifty of them. No, make it a five hundred. Every Elder and Core Disciple must have one."

"A wise decision. Captain Zhu, process the Elder's transaction. And throw in a complimentary crate of [Sea-Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips]. I believe the flavor profile will appeal to your pavilion's palate." Lin Mo called Wu Meiyu's Royal Escort Captain, who was now among the hired staff of the store.

"Understood, Shopkeeper." Although looking a little stiff, Zhu Min stepped forward as he immediately bowed in front of Elder Shen Liang, gesturing for the Elder to follow him.

Elder Shen Liang, now burdened with his self-created mission to modernize his sect, turned to look at the young prodigy one last time. Xue Yuan was currently screaming in triumph as his Summoned Units finally depleted his opponent's hit points.

"I… I will leave him be for now," The Elder sighed while shaking his head. "If I drag him away, he might suffer heart demons. I will return for the gear tomorrow."

"He is in good hands. We have excellent security. He'll also learn a lot of things here. Look." Lin Mo said before pointing at Xiao Ya, who was once again ready to take a seat at the spot vacated by Xue Yuan's defeated opponent.

When the young man saw her, he immediately looked like he had seen a ghost before stutteringly trying to appear unbothered.

But the young girl simply grinned at him, issuing a challenge while reminding him of their previous match.

"Indeed. He must also learn humility after a defeat. His arrogance has to be curbed to continuously progress." Elder Shen Liang sighed once again but a look of understanding flashed upon his face.

As the Elder departed to follow Zhu Min, Lin Mo continued his walk around the store proper.

The Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion was a major power in the east. Securing them meant securing the entire coastline of the domain.

"Mhm. Another piece on the board secured," He murmured to himself.

"Boss, you're looking like a scheming villain again," Liu Xiaoyu commented, popping up beside him with a half-eaten bag of spicy strips. She's back at her snack-tasting quest to post an update on her thread for recommended snacks. "Are you plotting world domination?"

"There you go again. Do I look like a conqueror? I am plotting market saturation, Xiaoyu. There's a difference," Lin Mo rolled his eyes before snatching a spicy strip from her bag. "So, how is the test going? You and Wu Meiyu escorted Scholar Wei, along with the candidates, to the [Divine Arena and Exhibition Hall]."

"Oh, them? Yeah, they're still in the testing area we set up inside. Sister Meiyu is overseeing it with Scholar Wei. They brought fifty soldiers. Real body cultivators who are almost at the last level of the Body Tempering Stage. They're about to form their dantian and enter the Spirit Condensation Stage. But they looked at the [Legionary Armor] like a hungry dog looks at a meat bun."

Lin Mo nodded. Since he had seen its effectiveness on the martial artists from the Martial World, he relayed that finding to the Scholar, who then started selecting soldiers for the Armor Bearer Project. They're unlike those mortals who volunteered to be tested. They'll be the ones who will be immediately sent into the frontlines, like the Sunken Caverns Anchor or the upcoming opening of the Anchor just outside Fanling City. It'll be in two days.

"Good. Let's go take a look. I want to see if the success rate holds up on stronger candidates. You're not counted because your physique helped in stabilizing the armor."

"Hehe. The same goes for you, Boss. You're the one who pioneered this one." Liu Xiaoyu teasingly grinned.

They navigated through the bustling store, bypassing the crowded aisles and the noisy arcade zone.

Lin Mo noted that Aurelia, the undercover patron from the Western Sacred Lands, was currently sitting in the lounge area, sipping a cup of [Morning Star Coffee] while intensely studying a [Basic Card Talisman]. She seemed to be trying to decipher its runes, likely comparing them to the divine arts of her church. The broke-ass monk was nowhere to be found again.

From what he heard yesterday, he was planning to bring her to the Abyssal Forest Conduit Tower.

The monk did hint about her origin, but as always with the monk, they tend to speak vaguely, still leaving it to Lin Mo to accurately guess her origin.

'Let her study,' Lin Mo thought. 'The more she understands, the more she'll realize the gap. As for her origin, she'll reveal it herself eventually.'

They entered the multipurpose hall, which was already filled with other patrons either challenging other patrons on Celestial Duels and traditional sparring or watching from the seats and betting on who would win.

Liu Xiaoyu then guided him to a corner where a temporary partition had been erected to serve as a fitting room for the 'Argentum Aether Armor Bearer Project'.

Inside, the atmosphere was quite tense.

Scholar Wei was adjusting a complex array on the floor, while Wu Meiyu stood with her arms crossed, observing a line of fifty Southern Wu Royal Guards. They had stripped off their uniform armor, standing in simple tunics.

Their expressions painted a mix of discipline and nervous anticipation.

In the center of the array stood a single guard, currently in the process of binding with a [Legionary Set].

The armor was clicking in place with the silver hexagonal patterns seemingly pulsating with a rhythm that matched the soldier's heartbeat. His face was pale and sweat beaded on his forehead as the Aether Shard in his chest plate drew upon his inner energy.

"Keep steady," Scholar Wei instructed as his golden eyes scanned the energy flow. "Do not resist the draw. Feed it your stamina, not your fear. Let it become your skin."

The soldier grunted, causing his knees to buckle slightly, but he held his ground.

Soon, once the final piece of the set clicked in place, the light stabilized, turning a steady, cool blue.

"Binding complete. Sync rate: 78%," Scholar Wei announced, scribbling on his jade slip. "Successful integration. Next!"

The soldier stepped out of the array, moving with a newfound, heavy grace. He clenched his armored fist and punched the air, causing the air to ripple slightly. He looked at his hands in disbelief. He was a mere Body Tempering Stage soldier, barely stronger than a mortal elite soldier. Now, he radiated the pressure of a peak Spirit Condensation Stage cultivator.

"Shopkeeper," Wu Meiyu greeted as Lin Mo approached. "We are halfway through. Twenty-five successes. Zero failures. The compatibility of the Royal Guards is exceptionally high. Their discipline seems to help stabilize the Aetheric resonance."

"That's good to hear. The data from the Martial World proves to be beneficial," Lin Mo nodded, inspecting the line of waiting soldiers. "Willpower and physical conditioning are the key factors, not spiritual roots. This allowed even a mortal to bind with it, but if one already walked the path of cultivation, binding it would be slightly difficult due to the conflicting energies. All of them have yet to form their dantian, so it still works but once they break through to the Spirit Condensation Stage, they must recalibrate their synchronization with the armor set."